Chauffeur for Cowie

The irony was not lost on Ian Cowie, a former BBC Scotland sound engineer, now carving out something of a name for himself, as a food reviewer – as befits his nickname while at the Beeb: Mr Snax.

On Thursday, Cowie was in London on business when BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine Show 'got on the blower' to ask if he might be available for comment following a report about two customers of an Edinburgh restaurant requiring hospital treatment after taking part in a superhot curry eating competition.

Cowie – named Scotland’s Curry Lover of the Year 2008 – left the BBC three years ago, taking a voluntary redundancy package.

And where did he hear about the latest set of job cuts – an estimated 2,000 UK-wide – announced on Thursday morning?

On the radio of the chauffeur-driven car that was taking him to the Jeremy Vine studio, of course.